Kwame Richard’s Story: 10 Years in Germany After Crossing the Desert and Sea
Kwame Richard, a Ghanaian living in Hamburg, has spent the last 10 years in Germany. In an interview with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show, he shared his journey and struggles abroad.
According to Richard, life in Ghana was tough, and since his father had once traveled before returning home, he was inspired to also seek greener pastures. “Most of my family members are proud just because they are related to someone abroad,” he said.
He recounted how he and a friend planned their journey through a connection man who initially promised to send them to Turkey. Unfortunately, the visa arrangement fell through, and instead, they were told to use the desert route. The agent assured him of success and charged GH₵6,000.
Richard crossed through Libya, then by sea to Italy. “The sea was very scary, but luckily, a rescue team got us to Lampedusa,” he recalled. From there, he was sent to Florence and later traveled to Milan. With the help of a Frenchman—who charged €75—he finally made it to Germany.
While others had been arrested several times attempting to enter Germany, Richard described his own arrival as fortunate. He applied for asylum, but soon faced hardships. He mentioned that although he had relatives in Germany, when he reached out for help, they cut ties with him.
Over the years, Richard has done all kinds of menial and difficult jobs just to survive. Yet, despite being abroad for a decade, he admits life is still tough. “No one living abroad truly has freedom. And when we return to Ghana, we can’t stay for long—it takes a lot of confidence to face life abroad,” he concluded.
Abrokyire no easy!
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